Perform Or Be Damned, Tinubu Tells Lagos Lawmakers

Newly elected lawmakers in Lagos State have no option than to perform as failure of that will not go down with the party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), who will relegate them while their constituents will also reject them.

This was part of the challenges thrown at them by the former governor of the state and leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, when the lawmakers paid him a courtesy call recently.

Tinubu, who praised the members of the sixth Assembly led by Adeyemi Ikuforiji for their maturity, cooperation and advancement in legislative matters, also tasked the new members to emulate such virtue if they wanted to remain happy as lawmakers.

He reminded them of their importance to the party, saying “without you, there is no rooting in our party. Without you, we cannot talk about the success of our party. Among the 15 million people in Lagos State and the six million registered voters, you have been chosen to really be the voice and advocate of good governance by representing the people.

“You are facing a big challenge and all eyes will be on you. The reward of a success in any venture is more work to keep this success.

“If you don’t dedicate yourselves to lawmaking that will enhance good governance and quality of service to the people, they would reject you next time and you would have let our party down.”

He told them that the joy of the party is that it extended “the breeze of success to other parts of Nigeria,” while reminding them that they did not enjoy the support of the voters because of their persons alone, but the vision of the party which was articulated in its manifesto.

“This was what was sold to the public,” he stressed, adding that there must therefore be commitment to the party.

Tinubu commended lawmakers that are not returning in the seventh Assembly but who have continued to support and assist the party, promising that the party would contact them in due course.

He praised Governor Babatunde Fashola for making himself the symbol of the vision of the party, adding that his performance had attracted people of other states resulting in the victory of the party in those states.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House, who led the lawmakers on the courtesy call, thanked Tinubu for giving them the opportunity to serve the state.

He also promised, on behalf of his colleagues, that the next Assembly would make the party and the people of the state proud.